From November 24th
to December 2nd, 2025
15% OFF in all our experiences
Discount Code: BLACKWEEK15
*Promotion limited to 5 discount codes per experience and
cannot be combined with any other discounts or promotions.
In this episode Mau Díaz sits down with Jessie Zapo—ultrarunner, art therapist, multidisciplinary artist, and community builder. Known for blending movement, expression, and healing, Jessie has carved out a unique path where running, art, and care for others converge. Her work is rooted in the belief that the body is not only a vehicle for endurance but also a medium for emotional and creative release.
Mau and Jessie begin by tracing her early journey as a runner—how it started, what kept her coming back, and how it evolved into something much deeper than physical training. Jessie shares how running has helped her process her own inner landscape, while simultaneously strengthening the communities she’s been part of. For her, running is both a solitary and collective act—an anchor in difficult times and a bridge to meaningful connection with others.
The conversation then moves into the rich intersection of running, art, and healing. Jessie opens up about her work as an art therapist and how movement fuels her creative practice. She explores the idea of running as ritual, as a canvas, and as a tool for transformation—not only for herself but for those she supports in her community. This episode is a powerful reflection on how running can go beyond the physical to become a pathway to wholeness, creativity, and care.
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Jessie Zapotechne, aka Jessie Zapo, is a Performance Running Coach for Adidas and leads Communities for adidas Runners in North America. Jessie is the founder and Coach of Girls Run NYC, a Women’s Running Collective that began in 2015. Jessie was an original member of the New York City Bridgerunners, joining in 2004 and serving as (the only) female Captain for 7 years. Jessie practiced as a Creative Arts Therapist over fifteen years with youth and young adults in NYC, and also supervised graduate students from NYU’s art therapy department for seven years.
Jessie enjoys giving others tools through creativity and sport for living their strongest, healthiest lives. In her free time, she enjoys training for Ultramarathons, weightlifting, and art-making. Most importantly, Jessie loves to help others challenge themselves to break barriers and imagine and accomplish new goals. She is always looking for the next adventure and encouraging others to do the same.
You can find Jessie on instagram as @jessiezapo
OUR HOST: MAU DÍAZ
CEO & Co-Founder of Aire Libre.
Mau Díaz, born in Mexico City in 1988, embarked on a journey of academic and adventurous pursuits. He studied Marketing at the Monterrey Institute of Technology, delving into International Marketing at the Hochschule Pforzheim in Germany, and exploring Chinese Foreign Policy at The Chinese University of Hong Kong. His professional trajectory took off with a focus on Growth Hacking, where he honed his skills in team building and assisting startups in their growth strategies. Notable stints as a growth hacker at Propiedades.com and later at LECO shaped his early career.
In December 2015, Mau embarked on a non-stop 90km run across the Sonora Desert with two friends, laying the foundation for his venture, Aire Libre. He identifies as an adventurer who embraces running as a means to satiate his curiosity. His accomplishments include solo and unassisted traversing of the Sierra Sur de Oaxaca, covering 127km from December 28 to 30, 2017. In 2018, he clinched a top 5 spot in an 80km ultramarathon in Colorado’s Rocky Mountains. May 2022 witnessed his relentless 140km run from the Pacific Ocean to the Sea of Cortez, spanning the Baja California peninsula. These exploits merely scratch the surface of his vast adventures.
Mau’s work at Aire Libre has not gone unnoticed, garnering recognition from esteemed international media outlets such as The Financial Times, Monocle, Men’s Journal, Forbes, Travesías, El Universal, Chilango, Sopitas.com, and various others.
You can find Mau on instagram as @maudac
From November 24th
to December 2nd, 2025
15% OFF in all our experiences
Discount Code: BLACKWEEK15
*Promotion limited to 5 discount codes per experience and
cannot be combined with any other discounts or promotions.
From November 25
to December 2nd, 2024
15% OFF in all our experiences
Discount Code: ALBLACKWEEK
*Promotion limited to 5 discount codes per experience and
cannot be combined with any other discounts or promotions.
Compártenos cualquier duda o pensamiento sobre la experiencia. Queremos que vivas la mejor experiencia con nosotros, así que te contestaremos lo más pronto posible.
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